Well pump



H. L. FOSTER Sept. 19, 1939.

WELL PUMP Filed June 3, -1938 3 Sheets-Sheetn `l sept. 19, 1939. H. L.FOSTER WELL PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1958 @www E L. Qzzer.

H. L. FOSTER WELL PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1938 p. e, 5 5 f Mwwf. 4 L H wf /w 5 a 6 6 2 7 W af@ @Nm/v 7 if l e H7@ @m ll HIM I WII.14.- 2 1 Fl, a 6 0 0 iwf; EZ@ f.

SWW/whole Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 claims.

This invention relates to a well pump ofthe type used in oil wells andsimilar deep wells.

One object of the invention is to provide a pump which is a doubleacting pump and has pistons and valves associated with it in order thatthe pump may be operated by ud pressure and caused to have reciprocatingmotion which will pump oil or other liquid from the well.

Another object of the invention isto provide the pump with valves whichare adapted to be mechanically moved to adjustedl position by thereciprocating pistons of the pump, the valves being further held in anadjusted position by the pressure of fluid which imparts movement to thepistons. It will thus be seen that the valves will be positively movedto adjusted positions by action of the pistons and then held in theadjusted positions by uid pressure and prevented from accidentallymoving out of their set position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump of suchconstructionthat fluid under pressure may be forced downwardly in the well tooperate the pump and exhaust huid move upwardly through the well, thefluid under pressure and the exhaust iiuid having movement throughseparate channels or chambers and the oil being forced upwardly througha channel or tube which is entirely separate from the fluid channels orchambers so that grit which may be carried upwardly with the oil will beprevented from causing wear upon moving parts of the pump.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pump which will bevery efficient in its operation and not be liable to get out of orderduring use. 'f

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyy ing drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through a well casingand the upper portion of a pump formed in accordance with thisinvention,

Figure lb is a view similar to Figure la showing the intermediateportion o1 the improved pump in longitudinal section,

Figure lc is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the lowersection of the pump and well casing, 1

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2--2 ofFigure 1b,

-Figure 3 is a transversesectional view taken along the line 3--3 ofFigure 1c,

Figure 4 is a sectional `view taken longitudinally through a well pumpoi a modified construction, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-'5 oi'Figure 4.

The well casing; which is indicated in general by the numeral I, may beof any diameter desired and extends vertically in the well in the usualmanner. The upper section of the main tube 2 extends vertically in thewell casing I in concentric relation thereto and at its lower end asleeve or coupling 3 connects the lower end of the upper tube section 2with a coupler 4 having its lower portion 5 reduced in thickness andinternally and externally threaded for engagement with an intermediatetube section 6 and an inner auxiliary tube section 1. The intermediatetube section 8 consists oi' upper 4and lower pipe sections threaded toeach other, as shown at 8 in Figure l, and upon referring to Figure 1,it will be seen that the lower pipe section 6' of the intermediate tubesection 6 has its lower end spaced quite a distance from the bottom ofthe well casing I and formed with longitudinally extending slots 9 whichare in opposed relation to each other, as shown in Figure 3. A lowertube Iii is connected with the lower end o1 the' inner tube 1 by acoupling II which serves not only to connect the lower tube with theinner tube but also constitutes a support for a standing valve I2 ofa-conventional construction. The standing valve is open at its lower endand at its upper end is provided .with the usual valve ball I3 enclosedin a cage I4 and normally seated in a closed position upon the seat I5so that, when oil passes upwardly from the bottom of the well throughthe lower tube I0, through the standing valve and into the lower workingbarrel It formed by the lower pipe section l of the inner tube 1, thisoil will be trapped in the working barrel and prevented from :flowingback into the well.

Space within the well casing about the lower' end of the main tube mustbe blocked at the downwardly by the arms 2li of the compressing sleeve2l, the rings I'I will be expanded for tight tting engagement with thewalls of the well casing. A packing ring 22 ts about the pipe lsection8' above the sleeve 2| and when this packing ring is subjected topressure of fluid in section 6' of the intermediate tube section i andthe lower end of the pressure space 23 will be blocked by the packingring 22.

The oil delivering tube 24 extends vertically through the main tube 2concentric thereto and its lower end extends downwardly through thecoupling 3 and the coupler 4 into the inner tube 1 of the intermediatetube section 6. This oil delivering tube is spaced from walls of themain tube to provide a space 25 through which fluid under pressure isforced downwardly and through the side ports or openings 26 of the innertube 1 into the pressure space 23. The lower section 24' of the oildelivering tube is connected therewith by a standing valve 21 in whichthe usual valve ball 21' and valve seat 28 are provided, and from aninspection of Figure l, it will be readily apparent that, when oil isforced upwardly from the working barrel or chamber 28 dened by the lowersection 24' of the delivering tube into theV delivering tube` 24, thestanding valve will trap this oil inthe delivering tube and preventdownward flow of the oil.

An upper piston 30 carried by a tubular piston rod 3l operates in theworking barrel 29 and the piston rod extends downwardly from the workingbarrel into the inner tube 1 A bushing 32 is mounted in the inner tubeabout the tubular pis- '\ton rod with its upper end engaged about thelower end of the lower tube section 24' and this bushing has itsintermediate portion internally thickened, as shown at 33, andl snuglysurrounding the tubular shank 34 of a slide valve 35. A flange 36isformed about the upper end of the shank 34 to limit downward movementof the valve by engagement with the upper end of the ithickenedintermediate portion of the bushing and upward movement of the valve islimited by engagement of the upper end of the valve with the lower endof the thickened intermediate por- ,tion of the bushing. This slidevalve is for blocking and exposing an exhaust port 31 and pressure inletport 38, and from an inspection of Figure lb, it will be seen that, whenthe slide valve is in its raised position, the exhaust port 31 will beblocked and the pressure inlet port 38 exposed so that fluid underpressure may flow from the space 25 through the port 38 and into thepressurechamber 39 formed by the portion of the lower end portion of theinner tube 1. When the slide valve is moved downwardly to its loweredposition, the port 38 will be blocked and the side port 40 of the valvewill be moved into registry with the exhaust port 31 and fluid trappedin the power chamber when the port 38 is blocked may escape through theregistering ports 40 and 31 as the power. piston 4| at the lower end of`the tubular piston rod moves upwardly. This power piston 4l has asecond tubular piston rod 42 extending downwardly therefrom and withinthe power piston is disposed a valve ball 43 normally seated by gravityupon a valve seat44. As the power piston moves downwardly, oil may flowupwardly through the tubular piston rods 42 and 3|, and as the powerpiston is moved upwardly, oil trapped above the valve ball 43 will beforced upwardly through the oil delivering tube to a pipe line orsuitable container at the top of the well. Downward movement of thepower piston moves downwardly.

valve 35 is mechanically accomplished by engagement of the lower end ofthe piston 30 with the flanged upper end of the valve shank and upwardmovement of the valve is accomplished by engagement of the upper end ofthe power piston with the lower end of the valve shank. In view of thefact that the neck 4|' of the power piston fits within the slide valveas it moves the valve upwardly, space will exist between this' neck andthe lower end portion of the'bushing through which the special port 38is formed and as soon as the pressure inlet port is exposed by upwardmovement of the valve fluid under pressure may enter -the upper end ofthe pressure chamber and act upon the power piston to force the powerpis- -ton downwardly. This fluid under pressure will also act againstthe valve and hold the valve in its raised position during downwardmovement of the power piston.

Upward movement of the power piston is accomplished by fluid underpressure flowing from the chamber 25 through the side port 45 of thelower pipe section 1 of the inner tube 1 into the lower end of the powerchamber 39, and in order to control this flow of pressure fluid, therehas been provided a lower slide valve 46 which fits snugly within thepipe section 1 and is formed with ports 41 and 48 for registering withthe port 45'when the valve is in a raised position, When the valve isinthe lowered position shown in Figure 1b, the port 48 registers withthe exhaust port 49 so that fluid trapped in the lower portion of thepower chamber may be forced out `as the A tubular shank 50 is providedfor the slide valve 46 and this tubular shank operates through a bushing5l mounted in the pipe section 1 and constituting means for limitingreciprocating movement of the slide valve and its tubular shank. Thelower end portion of the tubular shank is enlarged internally and`provided with a side port 52 for registering with an exhaust port 53 sothat, when the pump head or piston 54 at the lower end of the tubularpiston rod 42 moves upwardly, fluid trapped in the power chamber 55 mayescape through the exhaust port 53 All of the exhaust ports communicatewith the space within the well casing and exhaust fluid will flowupwardly through the w'ell casing about the main tube to the top of thewall. An inlet port 56 for fluid under pressure is provided so that .byengagement of the lower end 'of the power piston with the upper end ofthe slide valve 46 and upward movement of these valves is accomplishedby engagement of the upper end of the pump head or piston 54 with thelower end of the valve 51 and when these valves are in the raisedposition and the exhaust-port 53 closed, the fluid under pressure in thepower chamber 55 will serve to maintain the valves in the raisedposition as well as acting upon the piston or pump head 54 to force thesame downwardly.

When this pump is in use, it is mounted in the well as shown by Figuresl, 1b and 1, and oil enters the lower tubing I0 and has a tendency toflow upwardly into the lower working barrel i6 if the oil is of sumcientdepth. Fluid under pressure which may be either liquid or gaseous uidpasses downwardly through the pressure space 25 between the oildelivering tube 24 and the upper section of the main tube 2, and thisy.previously explained and each time the pumping mechanism formed by thepistons and the tubular rod connecting the same reaches the limit of itsmovement in one direction the valves will be adjusted to cause movementin an' opposite direction. Upward movement of the pumping mechanismcreates a vacuum in the lower work#- lng barrel and oil will be drawnupwardly from Athe lower tubel I0 past the standing valve I2 into thelower working barrel. The pumping mechanism then moves downwardly andsince the valve ball I3 oi' the standing 'valve I2 will thenA be closedthe oil will move upwardly from the lower working barrel through thetubular piston rod 42 to raise the valve ball 43 of the power piston 4Iand flow upwardly through the tubular piston The pumping mechanism willthen move upwardly to draw a fresh charge of oil into the lower workingbarrel and as thepumping mechanism moves upwardly the valve 43 willclose and oil will be forced upwardly through the upper working barrel29 past the standing valve 21 and upwardly through the oil deliveringtube 24 to the top of the well. The oil will thus be progressively drawninto the lower working barrel from the lower tube I0 and moved upwardlyto the top of the well for delivery to a filling tank or pipe line. Thefluid under pressure cannot escape from the pressure chamber or spaceabout the tubing or cylinder-in which the pumping mechanism operatesexcept through the inlet port. and the exhaust fluid is deliveredthrough the exhaust port into the space between the main tubing and thewell casing. The oil can not enter the spaces or chambers in which thevalves and other moving parts of the pumping mechanism operate anddamage to moving parts which might be caused by grit in the oil will beprevented. The well pump will thus be very efficient in its operationand actuated by fluid pressure which may depend upon its naturalpressure or have the desired pressure imparted to it by means of a pumpat the top of the well In Figures 4 and 5, there has been illustrated amodified form of pump. In this embodiment of the yinvention, the lowerend of the oil delivering pipe 59 is connected with a casting 90. A tube6I extends vertically through the casting 60 centrally thereof and itsupper portion is oi an internal diameter corresponding to that of thepipe 59 in order that the .piston 62 at the upper end ofthe tubularpiston rod 63 may have reciprocating movement in the tube and the pipe.An exhaust chamber 64 surrounds the tube 6I and an exhaust pipe 65 leadsfrom this chamber while communication is established between the' 1I forlimiting upward movement of the slide position,` the ports 66 will beblocked but when the valve is moved downwardly by engagement of thepiston 62 with the upper end of the shank 69, the ports 68 will be moved'into registry with the ports 66 and fluid can escape from the powerchamber 12 through the registering ports into the exhaust chamber andpass out through the exhaust pipe 65.

The power chamber 12 is formed by a cylinder 13 having its upper endconnected with the lower end of the casting 69 and its lower endprovidedwith ahead 14 having a depending neck uniting it with a head 15. Theneckconnecting the two heads .is formed with ports 16 in order thatfluid under pressure may enter the/lower end oi the power chamber from apressure chamber 11 provided about the cylinder 13 by a jacket 18havingits lower end threaded to the head 15 and its upper end inthreaded engagement with the walls of the casting about the exhaustchamber 64. -A pipe 1B delivers fluid under pressure into, the pressurechamber and whenl fluid under pressure enters the power chamber throughthe ports 16 it will 'act upon the power piston v19 to force this pistonupwardly in the power chamber. There have also been provided ports 13and 13b through which fluid under pressure -is delivered into the upperportion of the power chamber to force the piston 19 downwardly. Theports 13*l are closed when the slide valve 61 is shifted downwardly andfluid will escape into the exhaust chamber 64 during upward movement ofthe power piston. The piston 19 is connected with the lower end of thepiston rod 63 and also connected with the upper end of a dependingtubular piston rod 86. A valve ball 8i is mounted in the power piston toact as a gravity control check valve corresponding to the valve 43 andprevent downward flow of oil after the oil has been forced upwardly intothe tubular piston 63.

A tube 82 extends downwardly from the center of the head 15 and in thistube operates a slide valve 93 which is formed with ports 84 movableinto and out of registry with ports 85 formed in the upper end of thetube 82 so that, as the piston 19 moves downwardly, fluid forceddownwardly thereby may enter the exhaust chamber 86 and escape throughthe exhaust pipe 85 leading from a side of the casing 81 which togetherwith the partition 88 defines the exhaust chamber 86. The tubular shank89 of the slide valve 83 fits snugly about the depending piston rod 80and is surrounded by a bushing 90 mounted in the tube 82, and below thebushing the shank 89 is enlarged to form a lower slide valve 9i formedwith a port 92 for registering with the exhaust outlet .93 of the powerchamber 94 formed by the portion of the tube 82 below the exhaust. Theportion of the casing 81 below the partition 88 defines a pressurechamber 95 with which communicates a pipe 96 for delivering fluid underpressure into this chamber, and in order -to establish communicationbetween the pressure chamber 95 and the power chamber 94, there has beenprovided a port 91 which is adapted to be closed bythe slide valve 9Iwhen the valve isn its lowered position. It will thus be' seen that,when the valve 9| is in its raised position, fluid under pressure mayenter the chamber 94 and act upon the piston 98 at the lower end of thetubular piston rod 80 to force the same downwardly and that, when thevalve is moved to its lowered position and the piston is moving up`wardly, fluid may be forced from the chamber 44 through the exhaust 93lwhich communicates with the exhaust pipe 99 leading from the casing 8lat the opposite side thereof from the pressure supply pipe 96. Thepiston 88 corresponds to the piston or pump head 55 and at the lower endof the tube 82 there has been provided a standing valve corresponding tothe standing valve I2. It will thus be seenthat, when this embodi mentof the invention is in use, oil may be drawn up past the standing valveas the piston or pump head 98 moves upwardly and during downwardmovement of the pumping mechanism the oil trapped in the lower portionof the tube 82 by the standing valve |00 will .be forced upwardlythrough the piston rod 80 past the valve 8l and upwardly through thetubular piston rod 63 into the pipe or tube 59 so that, as the pumpingmechanism again moves upwardly, the oil will be forced upwardly to thetop of the well. In both embodiments of the invention fluid pressureconstitutes the means for operating the pumping mechanism and the`valvesare adjusted by the action of the piston.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In a well, a well casing. a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinderextending downwardly in the casing from said tube and communicating withthe tube, a pressure chamber surrounding .raid cylinder for fluidunderpressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tubeconstituting an exhaust chamber, a barrier for the lower end of theexhaust chamber held in operative engagement with walls of the casing bypressure of fluid in the pressure chamber, said cylinder having inletand exhaust ports communicating with the pressure chamber and theexhaust chamber, pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be operatedby fluid pressure admitted through the inlet ports and force fluidupwardly from the cylinder and through said delivery tube, and valvesfor said ports actuated by the pumping means.

2. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinderextending downwardly in the casing from said tube and communicating withthe tube, a pressure chamber surrounding said cylinder for fluid underpressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tubeconstituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder having inlet and exhaustports communicating with the pressure chamber and the exhaust chamber,pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be reciprocated therein byfluid admitted through the inlet ports and force uid upwardly from thecylinder into the tube, valves for said ports adapted to be actuated bysaid pumping means to reverse reciprocation thereof, and a barrier forthe lower end of the exhaust chamber said casing, a cylinder extendingdownwardly in' the casing from said tube and communicating with thetube, apressure chamber surrounding said cylinder for fiuid underpressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tubeconstituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder having inlet and exhaustports communicating with the pressure chamber and the exhaust chamber,pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be reciprocated therein byfluid admitted through the inlet ports and force fluid upwardly from thecylinder into the tube, valves for said ports adapted to be actuated bysaid pumping means to reverse reciprocation thereof, and a barrier forthe lower end of the exhaust chamber comprising a lower abutment, camrings about the pressure chamber above said abutment, expansion ringsbetween said cam rings adapted to be expanded into binding engagementwith the well casing when the cam rings are forced downwardly, saidpressure chamber having vertical slots in its walls, a sleeve slidablevertically in said pressure chamber and having arms projecting outwardlythrough the slots and resting upon y l the upper cam ring, and a packingring in the pressure chamber' resting upon said sleeve, the 20 packingring and sleeve being shiftable downwardly by fluid in the pressurechamber for -forcing the cam rings downwardly and expanding theexpansion rings.

4. In a well, a well casing, a conduitextending communicating with theconduit, said cylinder being surrounded by a jacket forming a pressure'chamber communicating with said feed pipe, a

standing valve at the lower end of said cylinder, an expansible barrierfor blocking space between said well casing and the lower end of saidjacket 3,', having pressure applying means extending into said pressurechamber for actuation by fluid under pressure, the space in the casingabove said barrier constituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder havinginlet ports leading from the pres- 40 sure chamber and exhaust portsleading to the exhaust chamber,` reciprocating pumping means in saidcylinder adapted to be actuated by fluid under pressure admitted throughthe inlet ports and force fluid upwardly from the cylinder into 4:,

the conduit, and valves for the inlet and exhaust ports adapted tobemoved into and out of closing relation to the ports by the pumpingmeans during reciprocation of the pumping means.

5. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinderextending downwardly from said tube and communicating with the tube, apressure chamber surrounding said cylinder, said cylinder having inletports leading from said pressure chamber and outlet ports, pump means insaid cylinder mounted to reciprocate vertically therein and force uidupwardly from the cylinder into the tube, said Dump means hat-- ing ahollow intermediate piston and end pistons, tubular piston rodsextending from ends 'go of the intermediate piston through the endpi'stons, an upwardly opening check valve in said intermediate piston,and slide valves movable longitudinally of the cylinder into and out ofclosing relation to the ports by said pistons dur- 05 ing reciprocationof the pump means.

6. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standingvalve for the delivery tube, a tube surrounding the delivery tube andforming the upper portion of a pressure chamber,

inner'and outer tubes about the lower portion of the delivery tube belowthe upper tube and forming the lower portion of the pressure chamber,said inner and outer tubes extending below the delivery tube and theinner tube forming a cylinder communicating with the delivery' tube andhaving inlet ports communicating with the pressure chamber and outletports'communicating with an exhaust .chamber formed by space between thetubes and walls oi the well casing. a lower standing valve for saidcylinder. p ump means adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in saidcylinder and force duid upwardly into the delivery tube, and valves forsaid ports movable into and out ci closing relation thereto by the pumpmeans during reciprocation thereof.

7. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standingvalve for the delivery tube, a tube surrounding the delivery tube andforming the upper portion of a pressure chamber, inner and outer tubesabout the lower portion of the delivery tube below-the upper tube andforming the lower portion of the pressure chamber, said inner and outertubes extending below the delivery tube and the inner tube torming acylinder communicating with the delivery tube and having inlet portscommunicating with the pressure chamber and outlet ports communicatingwith an exhaust chamber formed by space between the tubes and walls ofthe well casing, a lower standing valve for said cylinder, pump meansadapted to reciprocate longitudinally in said cylinder and forceiiuid'upwardly through the delivery tube, said pump means comprising ahollow intermediate power piston, upper and lower tubular piston rodsextending from opposite ends'oi' said piston, a check valve in saidpower piston opening upwardly, upper and lower pistons carried by saidpiston rods and constituting pump heads, the lower pump head operatingin the cylinder andthe upper pump head operating in the lower end of thedelivery tube, and valves movable into and out of closing re-` tube andhaving inlet ports. communicating with the pressure chamber and outletports communieating with an exhaust chamber formed by space between thetubes and walls ot the well casin. a lower standing valve. for saidcylinder, pump means adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in saidcylinder Yand force iluid upwardly through the delivery tube, said meanscomprising a hollow intermediate power piston, upper and lower tubularpiston rods extending from opposite ends of said piston, a check valvein said piston opensavana ingupwardly. upper and lower pistons carriedbysaid piston rods and constituting pump heads,

the lower pump head operating in the cylinder and the upper pump headoperating in the lower end. of the delivery tube, bushings in saidcylinder. and slide valves in said cylinder having tubular shanks ittingsnugly about the piston rods through the bushings. said valves beingshiltable longitudinally into and out of closing relation to said portsby said pistons during reciprocation of the pump means and having portsregistering with certain of theports when the valves are in certainpositions of adjustment.

9. Ina well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standingvalve for the delivery tube, a cylinder extending downwardly from saidtube and communicating with the tube, a pressure chamber surroundingsaid cylinder, said cylinder having inlet ports leading from thepressure chamber and exhaust ports, reciprocating pump means in saidcylinder for forcing fluid upwardly through the tube, and valves in saidcylinder shiftable by the pump means into and out ot closingl relationto said ports and held out oi' closing relation to the inlet ports byuid under pressure entering the cylinder from the pressure chamber toactuate the pump means.

10. Ina well pump, a cylinder having a power .chamber intermediate itslength and upper and lower tubes extending i'rom ends o! the powerchamber, pressurechambers and exhaust chambers surrounding the powerchamberand said tubes and communicating therewith through ports, ahollow power piston in said power chamber, hollow piston rods extendingfrom said piston into said tubes and together with the pistonconstituting a conduit for conducting iiuid from the lower tube into theupper tube, pump pistons carried by said piston rods and operating inthe tubes,.and valves movable into and out o! closing relation to saidports by action of said pls'- tons.

Il. In a well pump, a power chamber, upper and lower tubes extendingfrom upper and lower ends of said power chamber, pressure chamberssurrounding the power chamber and the lower tube, exhaust chambers forthe power chamber surrounding the tubes at ends of the power cham'- ber,the power chamber and said tubes vhaving inlet ports for duid underpressure and exhaust ports, a hollow 'power piston operating in saidpower chamber and having tubular-rods extending into the upper and lowertubes and together with the' power piston constituting a conduit fordelivering iluld into the vupper tube, pump lpistons carried by saidtubular rods and operating in the upper and lower tubes, and slidevalves lor said ports slidable' in said tubes and actuated by thepistons. 1

HUBERT r..

